This invention relates in general to wooden roads for use in rural areas. In particular, this invention relates to an improved modular engineered wood composite road for use in rural areas wherein the load bearing capability of the modular engineered wood composite road may be selected based on the environment within which the modular engineered wood composite road will be deployed and upon the maximum load of vehicles that will travel on the deployed modular engineered wood composite road.
Throughout history, rural and remote communities around the world have desired reliable roads that connect with other established lines of communication, such as improved and/or paved roads, railroads, and commercial waterways, and thus allow these communities to reach markets. The transportation of food, consumer goods, humanitarian aid, and education are critical components to a developing nation, but remote villages can be isolated from desired food, consumer goods, humanitarian aid, and education because of incomplete infrastructure, especially the lack of reliable roads.
Natural resources and precious revenue generating commodities can be isolated from markets. Well developed infrastructure may be under-used because the link to production is broken. Roads needed to link remote villages to all-weather transportation routes may only need to be a few kilometers long. To mitigate these challenges and to provide a life-line for isolated communities, rural connecting roads are needed.
Proper construction and maintenance are critical to develop the needed reliable transportation routes, but standard road construction methods may not be effective. For example, environmental conditions may not support standard road construction methods, and challenging or problematic site conditions, such as excessively wet conditions, may require unique construction methods.
Although wood has a long tradition as a road construction material to link rural communities in developing regions, it would be desirable to provide an improved engineered wood composite road that is modular, and thus relatively easy to both ship and assemble, and wherein the strength of the modular engineered wood composite road may be tailored such that its load bearing capability may be selected based on the environment within which the modular engineered wood composite road will be deployed, and upon the maximum load that will travel on the deployed modular engineered wood composite road.